Embracing Change in Your Business

There’s no sugar coating it; life has changed drastically over the past few months. We don’t know when and how this crisis will end; small window cleaning businesses everywhere are struggling to survive. Embracing change in your business isn’t an option, it’s a fact. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

Making the absolute most out of a bad situation is how good businesses and individuals become great. Here are a few ways small businesses can rise to the challenge of not only weathering this storm, but finding ways to take control.

Take small action steps.

Facing what seems to be a mountain of adversity in front of us can make taking that first step pretty unattractive. We are either too afraid, too indecisive, or simply too lazy to make a move. You’re probably not going to make meaningful progress overnight, so find something simple or small you can do, and then do it! Consult with a trusted friend, business partner, or blog, take some time to think about it, but take action. If you don’t, the world will adapt, and you may find yourself left behind!

Check Yo self!

A wise man once said, “Check yo self before you wreck yo self!” (Ice Cube). More often than not, the biggest hurdle to overcoming change is ourselves. We should all take a good, hard look in the mirror and ponder whether or not we are truly ready to accept this new normal. Only after acceptance can we make the decision to be determined rather than stubborn and embrace change to your business. Determination is positive, feels light, and will take you far. It is a willingness to change as needed, keeping an open mind. Stubbornness is a heavy feeling, a refusal to budge, a negative, closed mind, and will hold you back. Which one can you relate to right now?

Fail Forward

When we went to school, we were taught that “F” equals failure, and failure is unacceptable. Just because you may have been bad at math in high school doesn’t mean you’re a failure, it means that you’ll be much more successful as a window cleaner than an accountant! Failures often bring unforeseen opportunities that would not have been available without the failure in the first place. Having said that great stuff about failing, it still feels downright horrible. Even if you didn’t get the results you wanted, at least you had the courage to try something new in a world where so many people don’t. Determining what went wrong in a situation has real value. Taking that analysis farther and figuring out how to use it to your benefit is the real difference-maker when it comes to failing forward. Don’t let your experience lead to only knowledge. Let your experience lead to action!

Study Up

It may sound cliché, but this is the perfect time to take inventory, cut unnecessary costs, inspect your equipment, consider your current market and plans of expansion, and take advantage of online training opportunities. I’ll personally be hosting some live, virtual training sessions over the next few weeks on a variety of topics. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to see if there is something you and your employees can brush up on. I’ve personally been honing my skills in sales, marketing, negotiation, and even Google applications for the past few weeks. We also have over 200 videos on our Youtube channel with topics ranging from general equipment, high rise gear, WaterFed®, and a whole lot more!

Stay Strong

Taking care of yourself mentally and physically during this stressful time is not easy, but you can’t expect to take care of your business if you don’t look after your own needs first. Doing your best to stay healthy will not only help protect you from getting sick, but it will also go a long way in helping you manage stress and maintain your positive momentum. We are human, and we are bound to fail, but when we fail, we need the strength to get back up and keep on trucking! Make it a point to pump some muscles and neurons every day. You’ll be glad you did!

There are plenty of other steps you can take to help you embrace change and keep the wheels of your business turning, but we hope these get you thinking in the right direction. Once the dust settles, I hope we can all look back and be proud of how we dealt with this situation. I’ll leave you with a great quote from a great man: “Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy